Valve insides



/47'7aeNEY5 J. C. CROWLEY VALVE INSIDES Oct. 12, 1948.

`Filed April 27," 1944 l ffm' i Patented Oct. 12,1948

VALVE INSIDES John C. Crowley, Cleveland. Heights, Ohio,` aS-M signor to The Dill Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 27, 1944, Serial No. 532,963

4 Claims.l (Cl. 251 .27).

rThis invention relates to a valve insides or valve -core such as is used in the valve stems of inatable articles oi Various types, the most common of which are pneumatic tires for motor Vehicles, airplane landing struts and the like.

Heretofore valve insides -or Valve cores designed for installation in the valve stems of articles inated at low pressure, such as the modern pneumatic tires of motor vehicles, have not been Well suited or have not functioned satisfactorily when used in the valve stems of articles where the insides or lcores are subject to high pressures, such as is the ease in airplane landing struts, hydraulic accumulators and other high pressure installations. Similarly, valve insides or valve cores designed for use inhigh pressure installations have not been suitable or `completely satisfactory when used in low pressure installations. In other words, there has not been prior to the present invention a valve core or valve insides that can be interchangeably used with equal effectiveness and efciency in either high or low pressure installations.

An object of the invention is to provide a valve core or valve insides which is universal in its capability of being used effectively, efciently and satisfactorily in either high pressure or low pressure installations.

One of the principal reasons that a valve core or valve insides designed primarily for low pressure installation is not completely satisfactory when used in a high pressure installation or vice versa is that the rubber valve member vsuitable for low pressure installation is not suitable for high pressure installation and the rubber valve member suitable for high pressure installation is not suitable for lowl pressure installation.

More specifi-cally the rubber valve member of a valve insides or valve core which is to be used in low pressure installations should be formed of relatively soft flexible rubber to provide the desired and necessary flexibility to obtain the requisite sealing eiect yat low pressures. Such relatively soft rubber valve member is not suitable for use at high pressure, since the member is pressed so rmly against its seat as to be damaged and distorted. A rubber valve member of a valve insides or valve core ,which is sufficiently hard to be suitable for high pressure installations is not suitable in low pressure installations as said member does not contain suicient flexibility or resilience to furnish therequisiteseal atlow pressures.

Another object ofthe. invention is ,to provider an improved and novel?valvewcorevorzvalve insides wherein thef rubber valve member is formedvof suil'lciently hard materialto function satisfac torily at Ihigh pressur,es yet Ais so designed. astoi.v

have the requisiteflexibility to provide the proper` effective seal; at low pressures.

The usualvalve core or valve insides, heretofore knownhas the disadvantage that the valveseat ofthe bar-rel isl formed by a relatively narrow;v

sharp edge against which seats the rubber` valve4 member of the insides or core,V with the result that said narrow sharp edge cuts or embeds itselfinto the rubber valvemember. particularly in high pressure installations, even though said member may be formed ofv relatively hard material.

Ali-object Of the present invention is to provide.

a valve lcore* or. valve insides which is so constllucted that the valve seat will have minimum damagingv effect uponV the lrubber, valve member. when' the latter is seated thereagainst, either in hah pressure installations, 0r in low vpressure installations.`

Another object of the invention is to provide a. lvalve insides or Vvalye .c ore wherein-the valvey seat and the rubbernvalve member are soA con:

strueted thatwhen the insides or coreis used inhigh pressure installations Athere will be a positive large; area surface contact between the; rubbervalve member `and the valve seat While-yinlow pressurev installations there.` will-be a line contact-between thepseat and the rubber-valve membersoeffected as not -to damage the latter.

Anotherobject is to provide :a valve insides or valve corewherein the barrel, the rubber valve member, and the element vwhich carries the latter areso designed thatwhen thevalve core or insides is subjected to extremely highy pressures cold owing or extrusion .ofthe rubber material ofethe,

valve member will lbe precluded;k

Another and more specic object of theinven.-

tionis to provide a valve insides or valve coreA wherein the guiding ball or enlargement. on the,

valve pin; is substantially in contact with the. rubber valve member and the bore in the barrelso. as to prevent cold flowing ol the material of said memberinto the barrel of the valve insidesy cnr-.core when the latter is subjected to extremely high pressures.

Another specific object voithe invention is to provide. avalve insides or valvecore wherein.v

there -is no possibilitylof leakage occurringbe-` tween the valveA pin. and-,threelelnentmountedJ thereon andv whichl containstherubber valve member, a l -feature which -is particularly-l ativan-. tese-Gus and. imertant valine-:sere 0ry insides iS-Subisoted-fi0-hisb pressures Further and additional objects and advantages not hereinbefore specied will become apparent during the detailed description of an embodiment of the invention which is to follow. Referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating said embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a sectional View through the improved valve .core or valve insides and shows the manner in which the valve member engages the valve seat when the core or insides is used in low pressure installations.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-f-2 Y of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 1 but shows the manner in which the valve member engages the valve seat when the core or insides is used in high pressure installations.

Fig. 4 is a detached view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the rubber valve member of the insides or core.

`Therimproved valve insides or core is illustrated as provided with the usual bridge or plug member I. This plug member may be of generally circular or cylindrical configuration and provided with screw threads I I. The plug member Ill may have cutaway chord-like portions adjacent its outer end to provide a relatively narrow diametrically extending bridge I2 which can be engaged and rotated by a suitable tool when the valve insides or core is being inserted into or removed from a valve stem. The bridge I2 is provided with a centrally disposed opening I3. The plug member at each flat side of the bridge is provided with a lateral opening Id communicating with the interior I5 of the plug. The lower end of the plug I 0 is provided with a flange I6 which extends across an external annular rib l'I-formed on the adjacent end 0f the barrel I8 of the core or insides. The flange I6 at its freeend is turned inwardly beneath the rib I?, wherefore the plug I0 is swivelly connected to the adjacent end of the barrel I8 of the core or insides. The construction of the plug member I0 as herein set forth is conventional and is well understood in the art. It will be appreciated, however, p that different forms of plug members well known in the art might be employed in place of the plug member I0, since the construction of said plug member and the manner in which it is connected to the barrel I8 forms per se no part of the present invention.

The barrel I8 of the core or insides is provided externally with an annular recess receivingandcarrying a ring gasket I9 as is common in valve insides or cores. The barrel I8 is provided internally with an enlarged bore 28 that communicates with a reduced bore 2|. The reduced bore 2l at its outer endcommunicates with a conical recess in the end of the barrel I8 and which recess is provided by the conical Wall 22 which is inwardly convergent relative to the barrel I 8. The end of the barrel I8 that is remote from the plug I0 is formed with a substantially flat surface 23. The portions of the conical wall 22 adjacent to the reduced bore 2| of the barrel form the valve seat for the valve member when the core or insides is used in low pressure installations, while said conical wall 22 and the nat endsurface 23 form the valve seat for the valve member When the core or insides is used in high pressure installations.

The valve member 24 which cooperates with the valve seat of the barrel is preferably formed of rubber-like material and has a main cylindrical portion and a conical portion 25 separated from the main portion by an external annular rib 2B. The valve member 24 is provided with an axial opening 2l extending therethrough and increasing slightly in diameter from the end of the opening which is at the outer end of the main portion of the valve member toward the end of the opening that is at the small end of the conical portion 25 fof rthe valve member. The purpose of the opening 2 being thus tapered is an important featurer in the construction of the valve core and will be explained more fully hereinafter. Y

The valve member 24 is mounted and secured in the counterbore of a cup element 28, with the annular rib 26 ofthe valve member overlying and contacting the adjacent end of the cup element as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Tlhe small end of the opening 2l through the valve member 24 registers with a bore 29 formed in the cup element 28 and said small end of the opening 2'I is substantially 0f the same diameter as the diameter of said bore 29. The b-ore 29 i does not extend completely through the cup element 28 since the endofsaid element is closed as indicated at 30 for a purpose whichvis important and which Yvvill later be explained.

The valve pin 3| extends through thefopening 21 in the valve member and into the bore 29 of the cupl element 28 and said element and said valve pin are rigidly secured together by means wellknown in the arti. It will be noted that the valve pin 3| is of such diameter that it has a close it with the'bore 29 ofthe cup element and with the small end ofthe opening 21 of the valveA member 24. It will further be noted, however, that except at the smallk end of the opening there is clearance'between the valve'pin 3| and the wall of the opening 2l of the valve member, and that said clearance increases toward the conical portion of the member and the large end of the opening 21 as indicated at 32 in Fig. V1. This clearance 32 is provided, of course, by having the opening 21 in the valve member 2liV increasing in diameter Atoward the conical portion 25 vand the purpose of providingethis clearance will be fully pointed out hereinafter.

The valve pin 3| is provided with an enlarged cylindrical guiding portion33vwhichhas guiding movement in the smaller bore 2| of theY barrel Is and which is so located as to contactthe end of the conical portion 25 of the valve member for a purpose Which'will4 later be explained.'V It should be noted, however, Ythat `the outside diameter of the small end of the conical portion 25 of the valve member which is contacted by the cylindrical guide Vportion V33 of the pin normally is somewhat greater than the diameter of said portion 33. v `Y The valve pin extends through thebarrel I8 and the plug I8, itrbeing noted that said pin passes through the opening I3 in the bridge I2 and can have reciprocating movement insai'd opening. The outer end of'the valve pin is provided with a head 34 while inwardly of the plugV I 0 the pin is provided with anabutment collar 35 against which engages one end of the valve spring 36, while the opposite end of said valve spring engages the shoulder 4formed internally of the barrel I8 at the junction of the larger bore 20 with the smaller bore 2|. f v

It will be understood thatthe valve spring 36 is for the purposeof maintaining the valve member 24 in engagement with thevalve seat as is common in valve insides `orvalve` cores. y The spring 36`preferab1y is `of such strength as Vto engage in@ valve member with fitsfseatfo iowpre'e: sure installations.

it will' also be" understood that' tnevaive' core is inserted into the valve stem in whichlit is to be used'gby positioning saidl core or vinsides in vthe stem, engaging the threads" I |v of the vplug ID with the internal threadsof the valve stem, and then rotating said plug'vby the bridge |Y| toscrew the valve'core or insides int'o the stemuntil the ring gasket |9 of the barrel'is intightsealing engagement with the smooth internal bore portion of the valve stem, as is well known in the art. The valve core or'valve insides can be removed from the stem in the usual way by first unscrewing the plug I6, as will be well understood.

As already explainedLthe main object of the present invention'is to provide a'valve core which is universal in use in the sensethat the valveV core can be' employed with equal eiectiveness, eliciciency and satisfaction for either VVhigh' pressure or low pressure installations; This isl accomplished by forming the valve member 2|!v 'of relatively hard rubber-like material but at the same time providing the desired iiexbility in the material to enable the Valve member to function properly for low pressure installations. This nexibility is brought about by the provision of the clearance 32 between'the conical portion of the valve member and the circumference of the valve pin.

Referring to Fig. 1, which discloses the manner in which the valve member -cooperates with the valve seat when the core or insides is employed in a low pressure installation, it will be seen that the end of the conical portion 25 of the valve member contacts the conical surface 22 at the end of the barrel |8 near that part of said surface of minor diameter and that said contact is a line contact. The clearance 32 between the valve pin and the Valve member allows the conical portion 25 of said member to flex and, therefore, the requisite flexibility is provided in the valve member for low pressure installations.

Fig. 3 discloses the relationship of the parts when the valve core or insides is employed in high pressure installations. The high pressures to which the core or insides would then be subjected forces the conical portion 25 of the valve member into complete engagement with the conical surface 22 and also causes the ange or rib 26 of the valve member to engage the at surface 23 at the end oi the barrel. Therefore in high pressure installations the valve member contacts a seat of large surface area and formed by the conical surface 22 and the flat surface 23 and there is a positive sealing engagement between the valve member and the barrel |8. It will be noted that when this positive sealing engagement takes place the conical portion 25 of the valve member is flexed inwardly until the clearance 32 disappears and the conical portion of the valve member engages the pin 3| throughout the length of the opening 21. The positive large surface area contact between the valve member and the barrel |3 precludes the cold flowing or extrusion of the material of the valve member when the core or insides is subjected to high pressures. Also, since the cylindrical guiding portion 33 of the valve pin contacts the small end of the conical portion 25 of the valve member and said portion 33 has a guiding fit in the bore 2| of the barrel, there is little chance for the material of the valve member to cold flow in the bore 2| under high pressures.

It will be noted that in both low pressure instal- 6 iationf-jandnighf pressu' taiiatio tnevaive member 24 'ist not in conta'tiwith ai-sharp edgedvalve seat which wouldact-tov inj'ureitheva-lve m'eiribeil and particularly at high-pressures. l

It was previously ex'plai'nedthat;'theI end 30 of "thel cup"`el`em`ent 287fwafs 4closed;wllerei'o're'the bore' 29 in saidfeiement iis coi pieten-sealedagainstair or 'otherflid gettv g thereinian'd leaking Y upwardly I'betw'eenfthe` wall ofi-the bore and the valve Apin and betweentheivalve-member andthe valv'e pin.

Although a* p'refrred"febodiiifentloff-'the in# ventio'ii4 has been illustrated andi described herein it willY be' understood thatH-thsvinvetibn'is susceptible of various i modiiicatios arid adapta-fti'ons witiiin'lthesccpeof th appendedi claims.'

Having thus described Y* my invention- I claim:

1. A valveunsidesorfcore' comprising a' barrel havingatone end" a conical valve seat, avalve' pin' movable' throughsaidE barrel; and'f a valve member formed offrubber"#likeiriaterial mounted on said pin and having at one end a conical portion adapted to engage said seat, said valve member having a central opening therein extending from the small end of said conical portion inwardly of the member and which opening increases in diameter from its inner end toward the small end of said conical portion with its minimum diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of said pin, said pin extending into said opening with clearance normally existing between it and said conical portion of said member thus increasing the flexibility of said portion, said portion having a degree of taper so related to the degree of taper of the valve seat that it has a small area contact with said seat in low pressure installations of said insides or core and a large surface area contact with said seat in high pressure installations of said insides or core, at which latter time said conical portion of the valve member is exed into contact with said valve pin substantially throughout the length of said opening.

2. A valve insides or core comprising a barrel having at one end a conical valve seat, a valve pin movable through said barrel, and a valve member formed of rubber-like material mounted on said pin and having at one of its ends 2 conical portion adapted to engage said seat and an external annular rib adjacent said conical portion, said member having a central opening extending from the small end of said conical portion inwardly of the member and into which said pin extends, the diameter of said opening increasing from inwardly of the member toward the small end of said conical portion and providing normally clearance between said conical portion and said pin and thus increasing the flexibility of said portion, said portion having a degree of taper so related to the degree of taper of the valve seat that it engages said seat with a line conv tact in low pressure installations of said insides or core while said portion and said rib engage said seat and the end of said barrel with a large area surface contact during high pressure installation of said insides or core and at which latter 7 time said conical portion is flexed into engagement with said valve pin substantially throughout the length of said opening.

3. A valve insides or core comprising a barrel having at one end a conical valve seat and provided With a bore therethrough, a valve pin movable through said bore and provided with an enlargement guided by a portion of said bore inwardly of but-adjacent to said Valve seat, and a valve member kformed of rubber-like material mounted on said pin and having at one of its ends a conical portion adapted to engage said seat and which conical portion contacts at its small end said enlargement on said pin, said member having a central opening in which said pin is located and extending from the small end of said corneal portion -inwardly of said member, said opening having its diameter increasing from inwardly of said member toward the small end of said conical portion to provide normally clearance between the latter and said pin and increase the flexibility of said conical portion, the degree of taper of said conical portion being so related to the degree of taper of said valve seat that the small end of said portion engages said seat adjacent they minimum diameter of the latter with a line contact in low pressure installation of the valve insides or core while said conical portion engages said valve seat with a large area surface contact in high pressure installation of the insides or 8 core and at which latter time said conical portion is iiexed into contact with said valve pin substantially throughout the length of said opening.

4. A Valve insides or core as `defined in claim 3 and wherein said member is provided with an external annular rib adjacent the large endv of said conical portion and which rib contacts the end of said barrel in high pressure installations y of the insides or core.

- JOHN C. CROWLEY.

REFERENCES f CITED The following references are of record in the l le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

